From architecture to interior design: the style of the future has a heart… of stone
The charm of the stone effect drives interior design towards new sources of inspiration
An awareness of environmental issues and the need to live in new spaces focused on wellbeing is driving a growing and more eco-aware clientèle to choose the primeval charm of natural elements inside their home, too.
The latest interior design trends focus on the beauty of natural materials and of the stone effect to create authentically modern interiors, making use of tactile and sensory perceptions to make each setting both charming and welcoming.
The charm of stone has also won over the world of ceramic tiles, leading to the creative development of bold ceramic floor and wall tiles, and the production of authentic and functional tiles, capable of transferring the allure of natural details into unprecedented interior furnishing solutions.
The seductive multiple facets of stone are rediscovered thanks to new offerings in porcelain tiles, a material that is capable of perfectly replicating the streaks and colours of rocky materials in practical sizes and for a wide range of intended destinations. What is it that makes this look so exclusive and special?
"A subject that is beautiful in itself gives no suggestion to the artist. It lacks imperfection”, said Oscar Wilde.
The imperfection is an essential feature of the aesthetics of stone, a must-have characteristic that the ceramic tile manages to copy faithfully, bringing every shade of colour into modern and sophisticated indoor settings.
One of the challenges of contemporary design is indeed reclaiming the charm of archaic and distant settings, by recovering the tactility and magnificence of eternal materials, plying their expressive power into innovative, mesmerising and above all functional design solutions.
The possibility of exploiting the most sophisticated looks of the stone effect with large-size ceramic tiles allows designers to come up with high-impact solutions for private and public spaces alike.
The stone effect porcelain tile slabs are thus the perfect solution to enhance any setting, from private homes packed with personality to luxury hotels, high-end boutiques and large department stores, spas and even everyday workplaces.
Transformation and Nature are the two key reference words for the new ceramic tile projects, which aim to make best use of the full technical potential of ceramic tiles to give rise to attractive, dynamic and concurrently functional styling solutions.
Marca Corona takes on this thrilling challenge with its Star Road and Tide Road collections, two floor tile and wall tile collections which revisit the stone effect, drawing their inspiration from the Sky and the Earth respectively.
These new Marca Corona floor tiles and wall tiles each offer a comprehensive range of surfaces and decorations, both devised to design charming residential and commercial projects, with a unique personality.
The new collection of Star Road tiles softens the stone’s roughness by way of mellow, natural tones and enveloping textured shades. The surface background is uniform and compact, available in six different hues, and embellished by sinuous textured waves inspired by nebulas in space.
Size matters: Star Road has taken the path towards the large size slab to lend the stone effect greater authenticity and visual homogeneity, offering simple yet striking styling that’s perfect for contemporary interiors.
However, the collection does not forgo a creative and highly decorative design: the small decorated hexagonal 26.5x21 size has been restyled thanks to the overlapping of totally matt graphic frames with geometrical motifs with a textured feel.
Inspired once again by the Sky and by the futuristic symbolism of famous sci-fi films, the Moon and Cosmos geometrical decorations appear almost imprinted, trapped in the ceramic tile surface. The great variety of installation patterns makes them an original and versatile decorative solution, which is just perfect for customising any interior furnishing project… you have to try it to believe it!
The Tide Road collection of ceramic wall tiles on the other hand takes shape from the careful graphic reworking of a Brazilian stone, which is broken down and sectioned into its layers to create two different graphics: Vein Cut and Cross Cut.
The surface of Vein Cut arises from the longitudinal cutting of the slab, is characterised by faults and clear streaks with a high aesthetic impact, while the Cross Cut derives from the cross section of the same stone, which is then embellished with graining, pigmentation and sophisticated textured details.
Cross Cut constitutes the more assertive and eccentric soul of the collection, which is suitable for use as floor tiles in modern commercial settings and large-size public venues, while the Vein Cut variant was mainly devised for use as wall tiles in combination with a variety of materials, including the same stone Cross Cut or wood effect floor tiles.
Tide Road completes its offering with a decidedly urban decorative proposal: a small 7.5x30 brick with Vein Cut graphics, which can be installed with two different graphic orientations, longitudinal and oblique.
The perfect merger of sophisticated styling and technical functionality, in the R11 textured finishing, the Tide Road collection can transform even the most challenging settings, subject to the constant presence of water, frequent trampling or strong environmental stresses, such as bathrooms, hospitality premises and residential exteriors.
The stone effect offerings by Marca Corona do not end here! For those who prefer natural and authentic surfaces, the Encode collection is also available, and devised to embellish any residential and commercial setting, both indoors and out, thanks to its bold graphics and its elegant yet original colours.
In a constantly changing world, the aesthetic styling of stone is a charming and safe point of reference. A stone effect tile floor values all domestic spaces, including the bathroom, enhancing its styling while guaranteeing maximum durability and practical cleaning.
It’s impossible to resist the timeless charm of the stone effect! Among the myriad styling effects available, stone is definitely among the most versatile, capable of adapting effortlessly to every style and any type of setting.
